1. Who is Oasis Africa and what does it do?

Oasis Africa Australia is an independent/non-religious organisation, working in partnership with two local private primary schools in Nairobi, Kenya. We work with our in-country Project Manager, to assist in the financial growth and positive outcomes for these Community Projects in Kibera and Soweto slums.

2. How is the Oasis Africa child sponsorship program structured?

The schools supported by Oasis Africa are Primary Schools located in Africa's biggest slum, Kibera and Soweto slum.

In African society, the rebuilding of a healthy community, not just its children, is central to breaking extreme poverty and providing cultural linkages that enhance the child's resiliency.

As a result, your sponsorship will provide quality education, clothing, food, hygiene and sanitation care, school staff and classroom materials for the school as a whole. Additionally, OAA provides capacity building (advanced education training) and sustainability projects (Kamulu farming project) to create self-reliance into the future. Your sponsorship payments also provide support for the Oasis Africa Australia Secondary School and Tertiary Scholarships.

3. How can I sponsor a child or make a donation?

You can make a donation or sponsor a child on the Oasis Africa Australia website.

4. Where is Kibera?

Kibera is a large populated region within Nairobi, Kenya (just a few kilometres from the city centre). With over 1 million people living in extreme poverty conditions, it is Africa's largest slum. Extended families, generally totalling 8 or more, live in small mud/stick shacks with corrugated roof and little access to electricity. There are no government hospitals or clinics, no proper sewerage systems and one latrine (hole in the ground) is shared by up to 400 people (50 Shacks).

Due to high unemployment and conflicts between the over 40 different tribes that live in Kibera, it suffers from high incidents of crime and violence. Although living in extreme poverty, the majority of children, parents and caregivers work hard at school and work initiatives to change the future, which has been greatly assisted with various NGO's including Oasis Africa.

5. Were is Soweto?

Bethlehem Community Centre is located in Kayole (Soweto), one of the high density urban slums in the eastern part of Nairobi, the largest city within East Africa. Soweto has an informal population of about 300,000 with mostly women headed households, living in overcrowded one-room corrugated iron dwellings.

People who live in Soweto are displaced Kenyans who lost land in tribal conflicts, migrants from rural towns looking for brighter futures and refugees from neighbouring countries..

6. Where does my money go?

Your money goes directly into the various projects and initiatives that Oasis Africa supports.

For the children at the primary schools it will be spent on providing education, health and sanitation care, teachers and staff and classroom materials.

We provide capacity building opportunities through advanced training for teachers and students.

Oasis Africa also provides Secondary and Vocational School scholarships for students who finish Primary School and qualify according to the eligibility criteria.

For BCC, Oasis Africa has also invested and financially supports a sustainable farming project which aims to produce enough crops to pay for expenses at the farm and primary school.

7. How much money gets to the child/community?

Oasis Africa Australia works to ensure that all donated money is directed towards the Community Projects. Oasis Africa Australia has a dedicated supporter who assists by funding the administration and other managerial requirements necessary in Australia to ensure the successful running of these programs.

8. What is the Customer Direct Debit Request (DDR) Service Agreement?

If you have undertaken a Child Sponsorship with a recurring payment method via a credit card or direct debit from your bank account, this document outlines our service commitment to you, in respect of the Direct Debit Request (DDR) arrangements made between Oasis Africa Australia and you. It sets out your rights, our commitment to you and your responsibilities to us together with where you should go for assistance.

How to Contact Us

Direct all enquiries to us, rather than to your financial institution. These should be made at least 7 working days prior to the next scheduled drawing date. You may contact us as follows:

Phone: 0413 587 577

Email: admin@oasisafrica.org.au

Mail: GPO Box 1991 BRISBANE QLD 4001

All communication addressed to us should include your Sponsor and/or Child Number.

Our commitment to you

Initial terms of the arrangementIn terms of the Direct Debit Request arrangements made between us and signed by you, we undertake to periodically debit your nominated account for the agreed amount.

Drawing arrangements

• The first drawing under this Direct Debit arrangement will occur on the date nominated on the Direct Debit Request.

• If any drawing falls due on a non-business day, it will be debited to your account on the next business day following the scheduled drawing date.

• We will give you at least 14 days notice in writing, by email or by phone when changes to the initial terms of the arrangement are made. This notice will state the new amount, frequency, next drawing date and any other changes to the initial terms.

• If you wish to discuss any changes to the initial terms, please contact us.Your rightsChanges to the arrangementIf you want to make changes to the drawing arrangements, contact us. These changes may include:

• deferring the drawing; or

• altering the schedule; or

• stopping an individual debit; or

• suspending the DDR; or

• canceling the DDR completely.ConfidentialityAll personal customer information held by us will be kept confidential except that information provided to our financial institution to initiate the drawing to your nominated account.Disputes

• If you believe that a drawing has been initiated incorrectly, we encourage you to take the matter up directly by contacting us.

• If you do not receive a satisfactory response from us to your dispute, contact your financial institution who will respond to you with an answer to your claim:

within 5 business days (for claims lodged within 12 months of the disputed drawing); or

within 30 business days (for claims lodged more than 12 months after the disputed drawing)

• You will receive a refund of the drawing amount if we can not substantiate the reason for the drawing.Note: Your financial institution will ask you to contact us to resolve your disputed drawing prior to involving them.

• that on the drawing date there are sufficient cleared funds in the nominated account; and • that you advise us if the nominated account is transferred or closed.

• you advise us if your credit card expiry date is due to be renewedIf your drawing is returned or dishonoured by your financial institution, we may re-draw on your account after four (4) business days, or contact you to arrange alternate payment. Any transaction fees payable by us in respect of the above may be added to your account.

9. How does Oasis Africa Australia ensure that these projects and services are delivered?

Oasis Africa employs a designated in-country Project Manager on the ground in Kenya to manage the project and to work closely with the BCC school management team and Secondary School Scholarship students. Regular reports are submitted to the team in Australia outlining progress of the children and updating of child profile details, current projects underway, status of development of new projects and all financial matters to maintain clear accountability of fund use.

We also work with a qualified bookkeeper in Kenya, to ensure that all financial transactions from Australia to Kenya are recorded and reported to ensure complete transparency.

Oasis Africa Australia is proud to be a partner for Project J489 Oasis Africa Australia with Global Development Group (ABN 57 102 400 993), an Australian DFAT approved Non Government Organisation carrying out quality humanitarian projects with approved partners and providing aid to relieve poverty and provide long term solutions.

Global Development Group takes responsibility of the project according to DFAT rules providing a governance role and assisting in the areas of planning, monitoring, evaluating and auditing to ensure the projects are carried out to DFAT requirements.

10. How does Oasis Africa Australia work against corruption which is reported in many developing countries?

Accountability and transperancy of all financial transactions is critical to the success of the Community Projects. Oasis Africa Australia has an in-country bookkeeper that ensures consistency and accountability of all expenses and reports back to the Australian operations team on a monthly basis.

Oasis Africa accounts are externally audited in Australia every year. We are led by strict codes of conduct and ethical practice.

Oasis Africa Australia is proud to be a partner for Project J489 Oasis Africa Australia with Global Development Group (ABN 57 102 400 993), an Australian DFAT approved Non Government Organisation carrying out quality humanitarian projects with approved partners and providing aid to relieve poverty and provide long term solutions.

Global Development Group takes responsibility of the project according to DFAT rules providing a governance role and assisting in the areas of planning, monitoring, evaluating and auditing to ensure the projects are carried out to DFAT requirements.

11. Am I the only sponsor for my sponsored child?

Yes, each sponsored child is allocated only one donor.

12. Do I get a progress report on my sponsored child?

Each child sponsor receives a sponsor update pack each year. This includes an update letter, new profile details of your child along with a current photo and a drawing/letter done especially for you by your sponsor child.

13. Can I sponsor more than one child?

Yes we encourage you to sponsor as many children as viably possible. Many parents will tend to sponsor the same number of children as their own children. It is important to understand that ongoing support is critical to future of the children and financial consideration should be taken into account when sponsoring multiple children.

14. How long do I sponsor a child?

We encourage that you sponsor your child until the completion of their education. This will allow consistent financial support to all of the children in the school. Once they leave school, we can assist in providing a new sponsor child for you, or you can continue to support your child through Secondary School, if they gain the marks to attend.

15. How can I correspond with my sponsor child?

Due to the difficulty of sending mail to Kenya, we have set up an email letter from the website for sponsors to correspond with their sponsor child. These emails are received by the in-country Project Manager in Kenya to be distributed to the children. To write your child a letter, please click here. You will be asked to login before writing your child a letter, so please have your Oasis Africa sponsor username and password handy (included in your welcome letter).

16. What is appropriate to write about?

Your child likes to hear encouraging words and learn about where you are from. Letters can include details of your family, the food you enjoy, aspects of your country (e.g. animals, the town you live in and weather) and words of praise about their progress at school. Life in Kenya is very different to Western society and lifestyles, so please show discretion when addressing materialistic or monetary matters.

17. What appropriate gifts can I give my sponsor child?

As not all children have sponsors or recieve separate gifts from their sponsors, if you are traveling to Nairobi it is recommended to organise gifts that can be used by all the children at the school. Popular gifts include skipping ropes, various size playing balls, children's book and/or colouring pencils. Due to the problems with postage, please only organise gifts if you are visiting your sponsor child in Nairobi on an approved organised visit. A great way to arrange a group gift to the school (of which your child will benefit), is to make a donation via the 'Donations, Gifts & Tickets' page on the website. This way, the Oasis Africa representative, in conjunction with the headmaster can work out the most appropriate and needy gift. Purchasing this locally will also help to re-invest funds directly back into the community. To make a donation, please click here

With no government hospitals or clinics in Kenyan slums, most of these children do not have official birth certificates. With many children living with one or no parents, details like spelling of name and age are very difficult to accurately determine. As a result, occassionally changes of name, age and family members are adjusted as more accurate information is received.

19. What happens when my sponsor child leaves the school?

Life in a slum is highly transient and sponsor children can leave the school due to various reasons including: leaving the area, change to another school and/or advancing to higher education. When this occurs we will inform of any known details and organise another child for you to support and sponsor.

20. Can I visit my sponsor child?

Yes, pending approval (both Police Security and internal viability) it is possible to visit your child. All visits need to co-incide with the school term. Please notify us of your intentions to visit your child via the contact us form on this website at least 6-8 weeks in advance of your travel date.

21. How much time is needed to arrange a visit?

At least 6-8 weeks is required to organise your visit. It is important to understand that visits will not be approved until completion of a Police Security report and confirmation with the school head. Please notify us of your intentions to visit your child via the contact us form on this website at least 6-8 weeks in advance of your travel date.

22. How do I arrange a visit to see my sponsor child?

As soon as you are aware of your intentions to travel to see you sponsor child in Nairobi, Kenya, please contact Oasis Africa Australia administration so they can send you an information sheet which outlines all necessary procedures necessary before having your visit approved.

23. How long do the visits take?

A visit to see your child will usually take 2 - 4 hours. During this time you will be able to interact with various classes at the school, see the various project initiatives and play with the children. The Kenyan in-country Project Manager will accompany you throughout the entire visit.

24. Do I need a Visa to enter Kenya?

Most countries (including Australia) require a Visa to enter Kenya. 3 month single entry Visas can be arranged for Kenya on arrival at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi for US$50. As VISA costs and conditions can regularly change, it is advised to gain the latest advise from your countries local Kenyan High Commission/Consulate before departure.

25. Do I need to take preventative medicine or have injections before I leave to go to Kenya?

It is strongly advisable to see a travel doctor at least three months before your departure. Travelling to Africa will require you to be vaccinated against various diseases and parasites known in Africa. A good reference point for current requirements can be found on the TMVC website

26. Who do I contact when I arrive in Nairobi?

On arrival at Nairobi you can contact the in-country Project Manager, who will confirm your pick up and all other arrangements for your visit to see your sponsor child. This will be pre-arranged with you prior to your departure.

27. Where do I stay in Nairobi?

You will need to organise your own accommodation in Nairobi. Nairobi has a variety of accommodation options varying from backpackers/hostels to 5 star hotels.

28. Can I bring gifts for my sponsor child or family?

As not all children have sponsors or receive seperate gifts from their sponsors, if you are travelling to Nairobi it is recommended to organise gifts that can be used by all the children. Popular gifts include skipping ropes, various size playing balls, children's book and/or coloured pencils. Due to the problems with posting, please only organise gifts if you visiting your sponsor child in Nairobi on an approved organised visit.

29. What if I cannot make a sponsorship payment?

It is important to provide consistent payments. If you cannot make a payment please advise the Oasis Africa Australia office immediately so that they can put a delay on your payment.

30. How do I update my payment details?

Please contact Karen at the Oasis Africa Australia office on 0413 587 577, or via the Contact Us form.

31. How do I update my contact or address details?

When you registered for sponsoring your Child, you would have been asked to select a password. You also will have been provided your Sponsor ID along with confirmation of your password in your Welcome Letter sent to you after Sponsoring your Child. With your Sponsor ID and password you can log on the see your account details on the website, through the 'My Child' section. You are able to update your contact, address, username and password details here. This page is protected by SSL security.

Alternatively, please contact Karen at the Oasis Africa Australia office on 0413 587 577, or via the Contact Us form.